03. Mothers & Fathers

Our first and most impactful gender role models are usually our mothers and fathers, and / or the carers / family members we were surrounded by day to day in our youngest, most formative years.

It is very useful in men's and women's groups to take time to share specifically about what we learned from our mother (&/or female role models) about gender roles, and what we learned from our father (&/or male role models).

How did I take on (or vowed never to take on) the patterns or beliefs of my same-gender parental figure? How did my other-gender parental figure/s relate to me as a girl, or as a boy?

How did my parents or carers influence my own gender identity?

How did their parents or carers influence theirs?

What did I learn from my friend's carers, and from other male or female role models (s/heroes, authority figures, etc.) ?

From there we can better understand our own deep beliefs and actual behaviours as adults, and as parents and carers of young people - whether they are our biological children or not.

How can we stop gender hurts being passed on to future generations?

How are the very different expectations of the roles of mothers and fathers impacting the lives of all of us?

How can we change the (conscious and unconscious) patriarchal structures at the core of our society that are transmitted in our own family settings, and in the institutions that we interact with day to day in our community, and in our wider society?

Below are some examples of men and women actively trying to change the stereotypes around parental roles. Which others do you know about, or think are needed?

The Fatherhood Project

Vídeo de YouTube

Perseverance and hard work are two keys to becoming a good dad. This week Ron & Miquon tell their story about being there for each other even when you don't feel like it. What does fatherhood look like for you when you commit to being there for others - through thick and thin?

In THE FATHERHOOD PROJECT filmmaker Corbyn Tyson explores what it means to be a good dad. This is a series that looks at what it means to be a father today.